Wood floor or wall covering.



PATENTED JULY 11, 1905.

W. GUTWASSER. WOOD FLOOR 0R WALL COVERING.

APPLIOATIOH FILED JULY 6. 1904.

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No. 794.672. Patented July 11, 1905.

UNTTED STATES PATENT FFICE.

WILHELM GUTWASSER, OF KONIGSBERG, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TOOSWALD MESS, OF ANTWERP, BELGIUM.

WOOD FLOOR OR WALL COVERING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 794,672, dated July 11,1905.

Application filecl July 5, 1904. Serial No. 215,359-

To a, 11/71/0111 it nuty concern: g i in e ent mposition, and c a layerof Be it known that I, WVILHELM GUTWAssnR, small wooden pieces orblocks, which are cea citizen of the Empire of Germany, residing mentedto the intermediate layer 6 and to each in Konigsberg, Province of EastPrussia, in other byasuitable wood-cement d. The foun- 5 the Empire ofGermany, have invented cerdation a is made in the case of floors of anytain new and useful Improvements in Wood suitable material, such aswood, stone, con- Floor or Wall Coverings, of which the followcrete, orother material. When the covering ing is a specification. is used forwalls and ceilings, the ordinary This invention relates to an improvedwood plaster coating forms the foundation. When I0 covering which can beused forcoveringfloors, the covering is used for furniture, wooden,

walls, ceilings, panels, and the like and which metallic, or otherpanels serve as a foundation. can be laid in small pieces or blocks inany The superposed layer 5 of cement composidesired design in a mannersimilar to the martion is spread over the foundation a when a blemosaic, so as to be used in place of the floor-covering is to be made,or in the case of 5 more expensive parquet-flooring and other a wall orceiling covering the cement compowooden floor and wall coverings; andfor this sition is spread on a netting d of wire, ratpurpose theinvention consists of a floor and tan, or other material, which isattached to wallcovering which comprises asuitable founthe wall orceiling, the layer of cement comdation, a superposed layer of anoil-containposition being supported by said netting, as 20 ing cementcomposition, and a surface layer shown in Fig. 2. T

of small wooden blocks united to the inter- The composition used for theintermediate mediate layer and to each other by a similar layer 7)consists of the Well-known glaziers cement composition, the woodenblocks formcement, to which a suitable filling material is ing thesurface layer being rendered wateradded, so as to render the same morecom- 5 proof, so as to be moisture resistant. pact. The filling materialmay be ground The invention consists, further, of afloor or bricks andsawdust or sand and grit. Asuitwall covering comprising a suitablefoundaable animal or vegetable fiber is mixed with tion or backing, anetting attached to the the cement composition, so as to render thesame, a superposed layer of an oil-containing intermediate layer moreelastic and prevent 3 cement composition spread over said netting, theformation of cracks under pressure. The

andafacclayer of waterproofed wooden blocks glaziers cement itself iscomposed of pulverlaid thereon and united with the intermediate izedchalk, linseed varnish, silver litharge, layer of cement composition andwith each which is employed as a drier and to make the other by asimilar cement composition. cement harder, and a small quantity of copal35 The invention consists, lastly, of certain advarnish. Any othercement composition may ditional details of construction, which will bebe employed provided that it furnishes the 5 fully described hereinafterand finally pointed same advantages namely, the preservation out in theclaims. of the small wooden blocks laid on the same In the accompanyingdrawings, Figure 1 and the waterproofing of said blocks by the 4represents a perspective view of my improved absorption of the oilcontained in the cement wood covering, shown as used for afloor-covcomposition. The blocks may also be made 9 ering; and Figs. 2and 3 are vertical transdirectly waterproof by saturating the same versesections, showing the wood covering apwith a suitable oil, such asparaffin or other plied as a wall-covering and as a panel forhydrocarbon oil, before being laid, which 45 furniture. rotects theblocks against moisture and pre- Similar letters of reference indicatecorre- Vents them from. warping or otherwise changsponding parts. ingtheir form. The blocks are united with Referring to the drawings, arepresents a the'cement composition (1 by spreading over foundation, 6 asuperposed layer of oil-conthe bottom and sides of the blocks putty orother wood-cement, which holds them tightly in place on the intermediatelayer of cement composition, as the wood-cement spread over the blocksunites with the kindred cement composition and holds the blocksfirmly inplace thereon. The wooden blocks are produced by cutting the wood intothe proper shape by means of a saw without any attempt at finishing thesame and are laid directly on the intermediate layer of cementcomposition. As the blocks are surrounded by the waterproof cement andsupported on a waterproof cement composition, they are protected againstmoisture and retain their form and shape for a considerable length oftime.

In case larger ornaments are to be used in I the fioor they are cementedtogether in the shop and then laid down in a large piece on theintermediate layer by spreading woodceinent over the bottom of theornamental piece. The individual blocks and larger ornaments adherefirmly to the cement composition even if the same has been laid for sometime, as the wood-cement used on the bottom and joints of the woodblocks unites intimately with the cement composition of the supportinglayer even if the latter is in a perfectly dry state.

When the wood-mosaic covering is applied to walls and ceilings, theintermediate layer is spread over the netting attached to the plastercovering of the wall or ceiling, after which the wooden pieces or blocksare cemented on the intermediate layer and to each other in the samemanner as when laying a floor covering. In the same manner the panelsfor furniture are made by applying the intermediate layer of cementcomposition to a foundation of wood, sheet metal, or other suitablematerial.

The advantages of my improved wood-Inosaic covering for floors, walls,&c., are, besides its waterproof quality, the facility and comparativecheapness by which the same can be laid, especially as compared withparquet-flooring. The wood-mosaic covering can be varnished and cleanedwith great facility. It can be easily repaired in case any one of theblocks should become loose, warped, or

broken by removing the injured blocks and replacing them by new blocksunited with the intermediate layer and the adjacent blocks by cement.The covering has the advantage of being permanent and waterproof. Thewood-mosaic covering can be made in any desired colors and designs inthe same manner as marble-mosaic. Its advantages over parquet-flooringis its cheapness and the facility With which it can be laid down withoutrequiring any special fitting of the wooden blocks. When the wood-mosaicis used for upright walls or panels to which the intermediate layer ofcement can adhere directly,

the intermediate layer of netting can be dispensed with, as the adhesiveproperty of the wood-cement forms then a sufiicient support for theblocks.

Having thus describedmy invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent '1. A fioor or wall covering, comprising a foundationof suitable material, an intermediate layer of oil-containing cement,wooden blocks laid thereon, and a suitable wood-cement interposedbetween the sides of the blocks and between the bottoms of the same andsaid intermediate layer for uniting said blocks with each other and withthe latter.

2. A floor or wall covering, comprisinga foundation of suitablematerial, an intermediate layer of an oil-containing cement embodying asuitable filler, a surface layer of waterproofed wooden blocks, and asuitable wood-cement interposed between the sides of the blocks andbetween the bottoms of the same and said intermediate layer for unitingsaid blocks with each other and with the latter.

3. A floor or wall covering, comprising a foundation or backing, asuperposed layer of Wire-netting, a layer of oil-containing cementspread over said netting, a surface layer of wooden blocks laid on saidcement layer, and a suitable wood-cement interposed between the sides ofthe blocks and between the bottoms of the same and the layer ofoil-containing cement.

In testimony that I claim the'foregoing as my invention I have signed myname in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILHELM GUTWASSER.

Witnesses:

M. HANNKE, A. BUSCKE.

